Crinkle Cookies

Every year without fail since high school, I make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies during the holidays. It isn't exactly a cookie that is specifically a holiday cookie, but it conjures up some fun memories around Christmastime for me. One year, I decided to make a ridiculous amount to give co-workers (all 125 of my fellow team members) when everyone received a dozen all packaged up. Another year, I made another crazy amount to give to the lovely folks who resided at Lambs Farm, a community dedicated to developmentally challenged adults, since I worked there part time for a few years. It seems as most of the memories I have involved making these cookies to give and share. This year is no exception. I started working back in the corporate world a few weeks ago and decided to make my fellow co-workers my beloved chocolate crinkle cookies along with other variations...

So why crinkle cookies?  Well, back when I was in high school, my sister and I decided it would be fun to start a holiday tradition of baking cookies for the holidays. Sugar cookies were too boring for our tastes and chocolate chip cookies were too common. We had no idea what to make that would be easy and good. When we looked in the pantry, there was a box of Devil's Food cake mix sitting there and my sister asked if we could make some cookies using it. Then to our surprise, printed on the box was a recipe for Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. Five ingredients was all that was needed - a box of cake mix, some vegetable oil, 2 eggs and powdered sugar.  We were skeptical at first but after the first batch, we were sold. Ever since then, the crinkle cookies were our special holiday cookie.

This year I made 4 kinds of crinkle cookies using 4 different cake mixes - Devil's Food, Caramel, Apple Spice and Carrot Cake. Each one came out beautifully and friends loved them. I'm pretty sure my co-workers will enjoy them too! Feel free to use whatever cake mix flavor you prefer... but Devil's Food is definitely my favorite. I haven't tried this recipe using any gluten free cake mixes but I plan to. If you happen to give it a try with a gluten free cake mix, please let me know how they came out!

Crinkle Cookies

recipe adapted from Betty Crocker

1 box cake mix of your choice
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/4 cup powdered sugar for dusting


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the dry cake mix, oil and eggs. Mix together with a wooden spoon until fully combined.

Shape dough into 24 evenly sized balls.

Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl and roll the dough balls in the sugar to coat.

Place the powdered balls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes to set.

Remove from oven and allow to rest for 1 minute on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire cooling rack.